There are several types of fire extinguishers designed to combat different classes of fires. The most common types include:
- ABC Fire Extinguishers: These are multipurpose fire extinguishers suitable for Class A, B, and C fires. Class A fires involve ordinary combustibles like wood and paper, Class B fires involve flammable liquids, and Class C fires involve electrical equipment.
- CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Fire Extinguishers: CO2 extinguishers are used for Class B and Class C fires. They are effective in fighting fires involving flammable liquids and electrical equipment, and they leave no residue after discharge.
- Water Fire Extinguishers: These are suitable for Class A fires involving ordinary combustibles. They are not suitable for flammable liquid or electrical fires.
- Foam Fire Extinguishers: Foam extinguishers are effective against Class A and Class B fires. They create a foam blanket that helps suppress flames and prevents reignition.
- Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers: These are suitable for Class A, B, and C fires. They come in different variations like ABC dry powder for multiple fire classes and BC dry powder for flammable liquid and electrical fires.
- Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers: Wet chemical extinguishers are designed for Class K fires involving cooking oils and fats, commonly found in commercial kitchens.
Fire extinguisher capacities can vary from small handheld units (e.g., 2.5 pounds or 1 kg) for personal use or small fires to larger units (e.g., 20 pounds or 9 kg) for industrial or commercial applications.